The present invention relates to a top for a convertible vehicle, comprising an openable roof part, which is held movably on the vehicle body, and a rear window element, with a pillar element, which, at least in a closed state of the top, is arranged laterally on the rear window element, being provided on the roof part.
In the construction of modern convertible vehicles, a series of developments exist making it possible for a multipart hard-shell top, which, in a closed state of the top, is arranged in front of the passenger region of the vehicle in the form of a fixed roof, to be automatically deposited in a rear region of the vehicle in a space-saving manner. Basically, in the case of tops of this type, there is the problem that the inflexible shell parts mean that, in the opened and deposited state, they take up more space than a conventional top having a flexible fabric. The result of this is that the possibilities for shaping hard-shell tops of this type are limited.
German Patent Document No. DE 196 34 510 C1 describes a top for a convertible vehicle, said top comprising two dimensionally stable shell parts, with the rear shell part, in a closed state of the top, at the same time forming C pillars of the roof. A fixed rear window, which can be pivoted separately from the two shell parts, is arranged between the C pillars. In this case, the C pillars are drawn back behind the essentially vertically arranged rear window so as to achieve a sporty appearance for the vehicle. In an opened state of the top, the rear shell part, which comprises the C pillars, is pivoted essentially through 180° in its position, with a linkage supporting the roof parts being designed in such a manner that the collapsed roof in the deposited state is displaced forward, this displacement assisting in keeping a loading volume free in the rear region of the vehicle. A disadvantage here is that the C pillars, which, because of their design, are particularly wide in their base region in the direction of travel, protrude, in the deposited state of the top, laterally into the rear passenger region, with the result that cover panels to be provided for them cause the width of the rear passenger seats to be restricted. In addition, limits are placed on the formation of the fin-like C pillars by the fact that these wide C pillars must not collide with the rear wheel arches of the vehicle during the opening movement of the top.